PVW Resources NL (ASX:PVW) has confirmed heavy rare earth (HRE) oxides are present in xenotime mineralisation at its Tanami HRE Project in the Kimberley region of Western Australia with a mineralogy study undertaken by Diamantina Laboratories.
Seven rock chip samples taken from the Killi Killi East and Watts Rise prospects were assessed to have total rare earth oxide (TREO) grades of up to 12.45% with an average of 80% of Heavy Rare Earth Oxides (HREO).
Independent Metallurgic Operations Pty Ltd has now started metallurgic sighter test-work on the Killi Killi East and Watts Rise samples to determine the extractability of the oxides present and inform the company how it should approach the HREO.
“Test-work will provide valuable knowledge”
PVW Resources executive director George Bauk commented: “This is a significant step in the development of the Tanami Heavy Rare Earth Project.
“The mineralogy report has confirmed that the HREs are predominantly contained within a xenotime mineralisation which is very similar to the mineralisation at Northern Minerals' Browns Range Project.
“We have engaged Independent Metallurgical Operations Pty Ltd (IMO), a very experienced metallurgical group with significant relevant experience in rare earths and in particular xenotime mineralisation, to undertake a sighter test-work program on a 100-kilogram bulk sample taken from a number of locations along the 1.8-kilometre Killi Killi corridor.
“This early metallurgical test-work will provide valuable knowledge to the company as we develop our strategy to advance this project.
“As I have said previously, 2022 will be largely focused on exploration activities as we can leverage off the great work done at Northern Minerals in relation to the metallurgy and flowsheet development based on the xenotime mineralisation.
“The exploration team guided by Robin Wilson, who led the team that discovered the Browns Range Heavy Rare Earth deposits at Northern Minerals, is pulling all the data together that has been captured over the past four months on the project, including geological mapping, ground radiometric surveys, rock chip and soil sampling, coupled with the review/interpretation of the airborne surveys completed by PVW and the historical surveys.
“All of this data will be used to design a drill program for 2022 following the northern wet season.”
Significance of xenotime
The xenotime hosted in the Tanami Project holds a high percentage of dysprosium and terbium, used in multiple applications from nuclear fuel rods to lightbulbs and permanent magnets.
HRE oxidisation observed within Tanami rock chips is very similar to Northern Minerals’ Browns Range Project 80 kilometres to the north, which has a well-tested flowsheet to produce HRE carbonate from xenotime mineralisation.
About PVW Resources
PVW Resources is a Western Australian exploration company aiming to deliver growth through exploration success in prolific Western Australian gold areas.
The company’s 100%-owned Leonora Project spans 195 square kilometres and comprises follow-up targets across the Jungle Well and Brilliant Well tenures.
PVW also has a 150-square-kilometre tenement package close to world-class deposits near Kalgoorlie and owns the Tanami project, where it has put together a 1,100-square-kilometre land package with solid geological information and historical drilling results.